After trying a few different cases (my collection currently sits at 11), I have become aware of all the aspects different cases take into account when they are being made, and which type of case is for what type of people. The category of case that this falls under, “snap-on hard shell” is what I’d call it, is for the type of person that isn’t going to drop their phone much, but wants some nice looking design added to their device. This is for the person like me; I buy cases mostly for how they will look, not how much they will protect my phone, simply because I am extremely careful with my devices anyways, and always have been.

This case definitely does its job at adding looks, if that is what you are going for. There are many different available options on designs, this “Blue Stars” design being just one of them. You can check the rest of them out over on fuse’s site here: Cases. This case is built for style, that’s why it’s called an “artist edition.” Of course, it doesn’t completely lack in the protection department. Your iPhone 5 isn’t going to be all scratched up because it covers nearly all the metal on the device other than the very top and very bottom. So from a style or protection standpoint, this is definitely more for those looking for a different look instead of top-of-the-line protection, but you can rest assured your iPhone isn’t as vulnerable as leaving it case-less.

One thing I always get asked by friends and family when trying new cases is, “But can you still get to all the ports, etc?” The answer for this case is a confident yes. Like most snap on cases, you have easy access to your volume buttons, power button, Lightning port, speaker/microphone, and camera. They all are just as easy to use as without a case because they aren’t covered by the case. This case is very light weight, and won’t add but an almost indistinguishable amount of “bulk” to the over all feel of the phone. So this is perfect if you’re looking for something to add a little something different in terms of design to your device but don’t want to make your phone feel very different. It does, however, have a slightly slippery plastic feel, so if you tend to drop things if they are even the slightest bit slippery, this might not be for you.

Overall, taking into account how nice and thin this case fits on the device, the different designs that are available, the slippery feel, the lack of protection but it not necessarily being marketed as a super protective case, I would have to say this case falls at around a 8/10, which is very good. One of my only “complaints” is that slippery feel I was talking about, but that is just a personal preference of mine, so you may like the feel. When looking at this case, you have to remember that it wasn’t made with clumsy people in mind, so it simply isn’t for that group and shouldn’t be rated as such. This is aimed at people who want to have their phone look different, and fuse did a great job at getting some designs that do just that.

You can get this case for $24.99 here: Blue Stars design, or you can check out all the other designs here: fuse cases. Check out the gallery below for some images of this case and how it fits on the phone.

About Kyle Frost

Kyle Frost first found his love for technology (and Apple) in the second generation iPod nano. One thing that always draws him back to Apple is its unique and clean designs. Being someone that always has to learn how things work, he took up iOS developing in 2009, a year after Apple opened the platform to 3rd parties. Currently he owns around 10 Apple devices, 4 of which are iOS. Follow him on Twitter @TiP_Kyle

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